4 suspicious fires in Newport under investigation

NEWPORT — The investigation into four suspicious fires early Saturday morning is active and ongoing, Newport police Chief Jim Burroughs said Monday.

Burroughs said the fires are suspicious because they occurred during a short time span and their close proximity to each other. He said at this time in the investigation he is not releasing preliminary findings.

“We’re investigating four fires, as to the cause and origin of these fires and as of this time they remain under investigation,” Burroughs said.

The first three fires caused minor damage. The fire at 24 Sullivan Street, however, destroyed the vacant residential building.

Burroughs said the residential building had been empty for decades and was in disrepair.

The two other structures firefighters responded to Saturday were also unoccupied, he said.

The New Hampshire State Fire Marshal’s Office and the Sullivan County Attorney’s Office are investigating the fires with police.

All four fires took place within less than a mile from each other and occurred over an approximately three-hour span.

The first fire was a dumpster fire at 6 Laurel Street reported at 1:20 a.m.

A section of Route 4 was shut down Wednesday afternoon after a three-vehicle accident occurred, killing one motorist, according to police officials.

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